Matchmakers
by Pantherstrike
Summary: first in the series of stories were people are trying to set each other up. Draco saves Harry's life in Quidditch and now two of the most unlikely people are trying to set them up. Pg slightly crack
1. Harry and Draco

In Hogwarts, there were some general things that everyone knew and somethings that only a few knew. And somethings that everyone thought they knew but, were actually dead wrong about.

Everyone knew that if you included peeves in a good prank, you had free range of the castle at night and he wouldn't try to dump stuff on your head. Everyone knew that Snape was an evil bastard and no one was safe except for Slytherin's; unless it was Tuesday, then it was every kid for himself. Everyone knew Hermione Granger was resented by the Ravenclaws and that you never go near Neville Longbottom without running the risk of being hurt unless you were in the greenhouses. Everyone knew that Draco Malfoy was gay (and that he was a arsehole) except for the guy himself and that if you ever suggested he was you would most likely be hanging upside-down in the Great Hall totally starkers the next morning.

Everyone thought that Luna Lovegood was crazy. No one was entirely sure. Everyone thought that Dumbledore was crazy and almost everyone was sure.

Everyone thought they knew that, for Slytherin's, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe were anything but clever.

They were wrong.

Sort-of.

Of course they couldn't brew a potion for their lives or pass astrology or get a spell quite right. But they had manners about everything except when it came to food or people they didn't like. They were gentlemanly to girls, polite to strangers, and respectful of elders. It was how they were raised. They did everything together and were practically brothers the way Draco and Pansy and then Blaise and Theo were practically siblings. They all did everything together, told each other their secrets and led their lives. No one was very surprised when they all were sorted into Slytherin. They stayed close, their own group and it stayed that way.

That other few people that Knew Somethings Most Others Didn't, were the very few who knew the answer to one of the most famous questions in Hogwarts: Just how the hell did Crabbe and Goyle get into Slytherin? Some thought that they were just so mean the sorting hat couldn't put them anywhere else. Most of these people are Gryffindors.

The answer is that they work together well. They, when they put their talent together, could outsmart Slytherin himself.

Because they know you. Vince notices things about people. He watches what people do and how they act and with just a glance around a room could notice certain things that any other Slytherin would have to be looking hard for. But he does not process things. He sees them but only categorizes them and then goes to Greg for help.

Greg Goyle is anything but observant. He only focuses on the words, not how they're said. Draco's sarcasm is wasted on him. But, unlike Crabbe he gets the why. He knows people. Why they do things. He analyzes all the little details that Crabbe tell him and he can figure out an exact replica of why they did that, what they were feeling and what they felt after it; almost as if he was in their head.

It was rather scary once you think about it.

But it was very useful at times. (If they didn't get distracted by food)

Another Something That Few People Knew was who exactly Draco Malfoy was gay for (and if he could date maybe would be slightly less of an arse.)

Vince and Greg knew of course. It was kind of hard not for Vince to notice or Greg to figure out. Their friend was head-over-arse in love with Harry Potter.

And another Something That Few People Knew was the fact that Harry Potter shows all the signs of being arse-over-head in love with Draco Malfoy.

And Something That Only Dumbledore Knew was the fact that for the first time, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, after seeing Draco save Harry's life during a Quidditch match gone wrong, sat down and started to Plot like proper Slytherin's. Only this was not the slightest bit evil (most Slytherin plans aren't. Gryffindors say they are. And we all know that if Snakes are known for being evil; Lions are known for being stupid, neither is particularly true. )

No, this Plot was rather a stroke of genius. So much that it deserves a capital letter. The Plot was to get Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy together as a couple. And it was foolproof.

As it is, another Something Only Dumbledore Knew was that to never mix the essence of a fire salamander and the skin of an Ashwinder. He lost his eyebrows because of it.

But that's beside the point.

Draco was paranoid. Potter was following him. But, it didn't seem like it. The bloke didn't pay the slightest bit attention to him (not that he was noticing or anything) but it was just a bit unusual. Every Slytherin has a certain trait that helps them with people. Pansy's good with people. She's the kind of person who you would tell your life story to in the middle of the library in-between J and K. Blaise is a smooth talker and slick while Theo can connect the dots faster than anyone and tell you the ending of the murder mystery seven chapters in.

Draco was good with faces. He remembers everyone's face and can place at least a first name to it. So he knew each face that he passes as he walks from one class to another. Always the same faces because by that time in the year everyone has an established path that they use to get to class.

Only now it seems, every Thursday Harry Potter passes him in the hall to get to his next class. Every Single Period. And only every Thursday. It was extremely unnerving. He had avoided Potter like the plague ever since that game when he had caught the bastard. He visited him in the hospital wing and Potter had said thank you and Draco had shrugged and said something sarcastic. He then told him that he had grown up and that he only saw him as a rival in Quidditch and that while Potter would never be his favorite person, he had no trouble with him or Slytherin House.

Potter had looked like those funny little fish his parents used to serve at parties. Draco had then squeezed his shoulder told him to get better and left, his inner snake grinning madly at the unnerved and shocked face of his old rival. While he had promised Potter at least no rivalry, it was still fun to throw the lion off kilter.

But now he was the one off kilter. Even before potter's stalkerish quirks; ever since that bloody game.

He and Potter were after the snitch and out of nowhere, not even close to the beaters, comes this Bludger and Potter gets distracted and pulls back. The snitch was at his fingertips but out of the corner of eyes he sees Potter go flying with this dull crack. Draco didn't even try to grab the snitch then turn around. He didn't think about what people (mostly his father) was going to say. He just turned and dove, catching Harry mere meters before he hits the ground. Draco saved Harry's life in front of the entire school. Dumbledore had been called into London and no other player had even been close or had a fast enough broom. If Draco hadn't had he stunt of Gryffindor heroism Potter would've died and Voldemort would've given him a medal.

And Harry would've died. And Draco is horrified because he has just been coming to realize that he actually likes the prat—in that not exactly straight way.

And he was gay.

And he owes a lot of people apologies for hanging them by their toes starkers for telling him the truth about him.

Then again, Something That Everyone Knew was that being in Slytherin means never having to say you're sorry.

Harry was confused. Someone was messing with him. And it was every Thursday for the past month. Somehow a little commotion would happen or he would be distracted and somehow end up wandering exactly in the path of Draco Malfoy and then suddenly he would turn a corner and be on the other side of the castle in front of his next class. It was on the top five strange things that's happened to him and he didn't like it one bit.

Mostly because he'd sworn off stalking Malfoy this year. It was fourth year, they needed to grow up. And Harry had grown up. And So had Draco. He'd grown up and harry had realized that when he was grown up he didn't want grown up girls. He wanted an grown up, incredibly fit, blonde snarky snake. Randomly seeing him every Thursday just made him more curious. He wanted to know, dammit!

He wanted to know whether suudenly seeing Draco everywhere outside of class was a sign. And he started to wonder whether Draco had picked up his stalkerish dendencies.

He wanted to know whether he was gay, whether Draco was gay for him, whether, someone was messing with him, or Draco was now a stalkers and why Dumbledore was wearing these horrid orange robes.

And he was still confused.

…

Draco grumbled and wrapped his robe around him tighter to fight off the wind in the open Owlery. Vince had sent him up here to send a letter to his mum while he was finishing his Transfiguartion essay and Draco was bloody cold. He didn't know why he sent him up at this hour when he could've waited until tomorrow but he didn't question it.

Harry came from the opposite direction his weekly letter to Remus clutched in his hand. He always came here at the same time each week so Remus would get his letter in the morning with his coffee. When he walked through the door he saw someone coming up through the other door.

They both froze and shouted the exact same thing. "Why are you following me!" Silence. "This is awkward." Harry said walking over to Hedwig and sending her off to Grimmwald Palace. Draco was still staring at him. "What?"

"Your not following me. And I'm not following you but somehow you're always there." Harry snorted. "Now who's pointing out the obvious Malfoy?"

He scowled. "I'm just surprised you aren't stalking me again." Harry grinned. "I'm just surprised you aren't planning something dastardly."

"Dastardly? Really? And why would I want to stalk you anyway?" His face was slightly red. He asked that because he couldn't think of a comeback fast enough. Potter walked towards him that shit-eating grin growing wider. "Who ever said anything about stalking? And besides," he stopped in front of him using his extra inch of height to his advantage. "Why would you save me?"

Draco dropped Vince's letter and couldn't seem to look away from Potter's gaze and he had a feeling that sarcasm would not be beneficial here. He croaked out "Because I didn't want you to get hurt."

Because he cared about him. Thankfully Harry seemed to understand that. Then there was a kiss and then there was a snog and then there was the most unusual, unexpected, and misfit couple Hogwarts has ever seen.

Something That Everyone Knew was that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy will fight for the rest of their lives. And Something That Everyone Thought They Knew was that Harry and Draco would stay a couple for two months tops. And Something That Only A Few Knew (aka Crabbe and Goyle) was that while Harry and Draco would fight for the rest of their lives, they would always make up and would stay together for a long time. They knew this because they knew people. Everyone but Dumbledore at least.

And Something That Only Dumbledore Knew was that now every Thursday, Harry would sneak off under his cloak and place a small gift on the windowsill outside of Draco's first class and at the end of the day Draco would hide a small gift in the Owlery.

He also knew that Lemon Drops were delightful, but no one else seemed to think so.

But then again, that's beside the point.


	2. Sirius and Remus

Sirius/Remus crushing on each other. Too old and stubborn to do a thing about it.

Harry and Draco help with that. Second of the matchmaker series. A series of people that set each other up. So fluffy. Set a few weeks before 5th year. Pettigrew never escaped. Draco had apologized after being attacked by Buckbeak and convinced his father not to prosecute. You read how they got together in the first Matchmaker set.

Harry yawned, stumbling down the stairs of Grimmwald palace, led by the enticing smell of baked bread, eggs and sausages. Sirius came shuffling down the stairs behind him just as sleepy as they reached the kitchen. Remus was sitting reading the newspaper, freshly showered and fully dressed. Harry's boyfriend, Draco, was humming a little, exercising his newfound talent for cooking and trying to flip a pancake without it landing on his head, the floor or in the sink. (He still hated the fact that he couldn't use magic over the summers. He believed Remus got up early just to make sure he didn't but then Draco couldn't really blame him, he was a teacher after all) in the corner, Kreacher was mumbling how good loyal black heirs should not be cooking. Harry was going to miss these mornings when he and Draco had to go back to school.

Remus grinned at Draco over his newspaper. "Well look what we have here, my boy—it's the living dead."

"Shove it" Sirius growled and sank into the chair next to Remus. Harry sat across from him and blinked when he went to put his head down and there were suddenly pancakes and eggs there. "Careful there harry." Draco teased. "You might fall asleep in your breakfast"

He looked up at the cheery blonde and groaned. "Out of all the things in the world—you had to be a morning person."

He got a kiss on his forehead for his pains. Draco was snickering. "Guilty. Now eat. Today's the day you promised to take me to that muggle art show remember?"

Harry grinned. He remembered. He also remembered their plan. Now all they needed to do was to get Remus and Sirius to go. He smirked at the blonde. "Preening in the mirror and fussing over your hair for an hour is ok but now cooking and an art show? You aren't exactly helping diffuse the gay stereotypes here Malfoy." Draco opened his mouth to retort as Sirius high-fived Harry over the table.

He was beaten to it when Harry was thumped over the head by Remus whose nose was buried in the classified section. Sirius laughed a little as he accepted the plate of food from the blonde, who was considering whacking Sirius over the head himself for encouraging Harry but his respect for elders got the better of him.

And he needed Sirius on his side and in a good mood if Harry's and his plan was going to work. Sirius winked at Harry who had kissed the blonde on the cheek as a thank you for making breakfast. "An art show? Good luck lover boy. You're going to fall asleep within the first five minutes."

The younger boys laughed as Remus lazily whacked Sirius over the head without looking up from his paper. "I think it would be fun." He said offhandedly. "Draco told me it's in the park. There's going to be food and games and all the earnings from the bought paintings go to charity."

Draco nudged Harry with his foot under the table. Harry looked at him and Draco nodded at the older men. Harry got it. "Well why don't you come with us then?"

Remus folded his newspaper and smiled at them. It really did seem like fun and they all needed to get out of the house and enjoy the summer. He also would feel more comfortable to have them within eyesight. Even in the muggle world you couldn't be too careful. Besides, he didn't want to be stuck inside with Sirius all day. Not that he didn't love his childish old friend—it was the daunting realization that he loved him a little too much to be normal. He's always had, but now nothing was holding him back from being a lovesick fool except the crushing reality that Sirius didn't return his feelings. He wasn't going to ruin their friendship.

He was, however, not above torturing the Animagus. "Excellent idea" Sirius, who was gorging himself on sausages, froze, horrified. "What?" Remus pretended not to hear him. "I need to get out of the house and stretch these old bones."

Sirius paled. "You can't be serious Moony"

"Of course I can't be Sirius Padfoot. That's your name."

"It's an _art show_."

Remus drank his coffee as the kids wisely stayed silent. "Okay then. You can stay home by yourself and spend the day with Kreacher."

Sirius pushed his chair back. "I'll go get dressed."

It should've been, for all intents and purposes, a beautiful summer day. And It was. The sun shown brightly from its perch in the sky, alone save for a few stray clouds. The air was warm and the park was beautiful. Colorful canvas's dotted the fields and the children sheriked with laughter. Their were games and prizes of all sorts. A small local band played soft rock and sweet love songs for adoring crowds and the air was thick with the smells of food. It was practically perfect.

Except for the moping dark cloud of bugger-this-for-a-lark-why-am-i-here-and-how-come-everyone-is-so-damn-happy, that surrounded the moody, murderous Sirius Black (in dog form) whose dreadful opinion of art shows formed from the memories of being stuffed into a suit and trailing after his family in overcrowded, hot and positively dull museums.

And he realized that this art show was quite different from his living childhood nightmares, but it didn't stop him from avoiding any form of art like the plague.

While most of the Wizarding world understood his true side in the war the muggles hadn't been notified of the misunderstanding and their was the chance that he would be recognized after they put his face in the muggle papers. No one wanted to take that chance. Didn't matter that three of them were Gryffindors—they weren't fools.

He trailed disconsolantly behind the boys. Remus nudged him with his foot. Perhasps he would've been more comfortable in human form next to remus. He ignored the little voice inside his head that sounded awfully like James that told him that he just wanted to be in human form just so he could hold Moony's hand.

In front of them Harry leaned over to whisper in Draco's ear. "So how are we going to do this?" Remus's ears perked at Draco's smirk. "Wait until it gets dark during the fireworks. Then Sirius can turn human. We ditch them but we dip a little of a potion I made into their food. Or at least one of them."

Harry's voice got suspicious. "What potion? Draco…" The blonde rolled his eyes. "Nothing dark or harmful I promise. Give me some credit. It doesn't make them tell the truth but it gives them the feeling that nothing bad would happen if they did—liquid Gryffindor courage."

Harry snorted. "That's firewhiskey" Draco laughed. Sirius heart beat faster. They couldn't possibly be talking about…? "Listen. It'll be fine. Maybe with this they will finally have the guts to admit they are heels-over-head in love with each other."

Harry shook his head at his boyfriend. "It's head-over-heels" Draco crinkled his nose. "That makes no sense. Your head is already over your heels. The expression is like saying when your in love everything is topsy-turvy so wouldn't it be reverse?" harry threw his hands up. "I have no idea I just hope this plan of yours works. I'm tired of Sirius and Remus denying themselves a little happiness. They deserve it."

"Oh don't worry, Harry" The blonde replyed a little too smug. "It'll work."

Remus tuned them out after Harry's reply of 'cheeky git'. His mind had kind of frozen after his name. He had never been so happy that dogs couldn't talk. After all, Sirius had to have heard too.

Beside him Sirius was thinking along the same lines but now his mind was in full blown panic mode while the little voice in his head was jumping up and down screaming curses and slightly innapropriant suggestions of what exactly he should do after dark.

Then the both of them mentally froze. What if the two boys were wrong?

….

Much to the older men's disapproval, the sun disappeared and the stars came out. A bonfire was built in the middle of the park and people flocked to it. With much prodding Sirius finally transformed back to human and with a wink the two youngsters disappeared into the night. Remus started after them and Sirius held him back.

"Stop being such a downer Moony. They're kids. Let them have their fun, they won't do anything." Remus gladly let Sirius think that was the reason he was anxious instead of the fact that he wanted to escape the now fully human and extremely handsome Sirius Black. He'd been careful not to eat anything today and his stomach was crying out for help.

"And how do you know Sirius Black?" "Cuz they're too young, the little pureblood has more class then to bugger in the woods and Prongslet like his father doesn't but the mini Malfoy would whack him upside the head and give him toast for breakfast if he jumped him."

Remus chuckled and Sirius laughed with him. "The sad part is I can picture that happening."

"What about you Remus?" "Pardon?" Sirius seemed much too close now for comfort. They were in the crook of a tree, far enough from the fire that they couldn't feel the glow but close enough to see. Siri gave that crooked grin that used to send the girls running for their shortest skirts and Remus's heart stuttered. He was too old for this. Siruis got a little closer. "How much class to you have Remus? I really want to know."

Remus swallowed thickly and took the plunge. "Not as much as I'd like to think"

Sirius kissed him and Remus decided that having a Slytherin Matchmaker in the house wasn't so bad.

A few trees away Draco silently cheered. "It worked!" harry poked him in the ribs a little smug. "It didn't work. You never feed them the potion." Draco's eyes glowed. "There wasn't any potion. We just had to make up a plan and their hear would pick it up."

Harry's gobsmaked face was pricless. "They were listening? And you knew?" Draco rolled his eyes. "Of course. That was the plan all along. Just bloody tell them to stop dancing around each other like we did."

"You're amazing you know." Harry sighed fondly kissing him. "Harry not out here." The lion kissed him again dispite his protest. "I'm warning you Potter…" Harry nodded his hands on the blonde's hips trying to reach that spot on his neck that he knew would make the snake melt.

Draco wacked him hard on the back of his head and glared. "You're getting toast for breakfast"


End file.
